360 likes | 376 Views
Explore the value proposition of occupational health and the benefits of working together using the Society of Occupational Medicine membership. Stay updated on global events and research in the field.
E N D
Occupational Health – the value proposition For the EAPA - Nick Pahl, CEO June 2018
Aim of talk • About the SOM • The value proposition of OH • Working together with EAP – discussion
SOM Membership • Multidisciplinary membership – includes doctors, nurses, physios, psychologists etc • New OH technicians group - produced scope of practice and starting salary survey • New Disability assessment group • OH Nurse and GP connect e newsletter • Academic Forum • New corporate supporter offer Join at www.som.org.uk ….”Group” membership available
UK and global advocacy • Member of OH expert group, chaired by deputy CMO • Fit for work service scaled down • Involved in evidence collation, changes in fit note, Statutory Sick Pay, pilot site work..”Challenge fund” to be launched soon… • Responded to “Thriving at Work” report • Patrons – Lord Blunkett and Norman Lamb • Advocacy toolkit with IOMSC and advocacy to WHO world health assembly. DG video Question - what is the future model of occupational health e.g. direct access to OH teams, workplace coaches etc?
SOM Membership benefits • Occupational Medicine Journal • Regional Groups • Nurse and Dr insurance • Legal helpline • Job recruitment service • Golden Jubilee Travelling Fellowship • Peer support • Appraisal services • Reports e.g. value of Occupational health UK and Globally – on our website and free to access • E news • Reduced costs for attending events
Website - Why occupational health campaign Raising awareness of occupational health
Events Occurred this year: • HAVS - with RSM • Essentials in OH – RCGP • Regular webinars e.g. on global value of OH Coming up: • OH Industry meet - July • MSK and workplace health summit • Careers fair – 24th September • RCN event – 30th November
Working with our journal, encouraging interest in research • Special issues on Global occupational health • Sector level evidence reviews • Pod casts
Global Occupational HealthVirtual Issue Editorial by Will Ponsonby Chair of the International Group, Society of Occupational Medicine To read this virtual issue please visit: academic.oup.com/occmed/pages/global_occupational_health
Background – what is OH • OH supports employers to: • Improve employee health • Help prevent work-related illnesses • Provide early interventions for people who develop a work-related illness • Reduce sickness absence and presenteeism • Increase the efficiency and productivity of organisations
Information sources A report based on 146 references: 50 systematic reviews and meta-analyses 37 studies 17 research reports 42 other publications Nicholson PJ. Occupational health: the value proposition. Society of Occupational Medicine. London. 2017. https://www.som.org.uk/sites/som.org.uk/files/Occupational%20health%20-%20the%20value%20proposition.pdf
Occupational Health – the global value and Evidence • Produced by Professor Lode Godderis and team and launched last month.. • Global cost of workplace ill health – 4% of GDP
Quality of the evidence • Some reviews fail to appraise quality • ~10% of studies are high rigour • ROI inversely related to study quality • Best evidence sources: • Cochrane, HealthEvidenceTM, CRD York
The ROI • Many papers, posters and lectures claim high ROI e.g. 4:1 (but provide little detail re: interventions) • Interventions range from single-focus activities e.g. smoking cessation to broad programmes
Making the business case Need to market: • Compelling and transparent reasons to buy OH • ‘Value’ in the broadest sense • Investment drivers • Legal • Financial • Moral • Reputation
Drivers - legal & reputation • Employers must appoint one or more competent persons to assist them in meeting their legal duties, taking into account the size of the undertaking and the risks at the workplaces • Companies and / or directors can be prosecuted for breaches of health and safety law and face significant fines and potentially imprisonment • Litigation risks company reputation which can threaten business
Drivers – moral & financial • Protecting and promoting employee health is integral to corporate social responsibility • Good workplaces, employee engagement, wellbeing and productivity are inter-related • Poor employee health is associated with significant costs to employers (2-16% of payroll)
Employer costs of ill health * additional costs for work-related ill health
RTW barriers • Anxiety • Depression • Co-morbidity • Job strain • Older age • Lower education Gragnano A, et al J Occup Rehab 2017
Sickness absence • Short-term • Self-limiting conditions (‘colds’, gastroenteritis) • Long-term health problems (asthma, migraine) • Long-term • Common mental health problems • Degenerative diseases • Cardiovascular • Musculoskeletal • Cancer
The arguments for managing RTW Nicholson PJ. SOM 2017
Musculoskeletal disorders What works: • Back schools • Cognitive behavioural approaches (back + neck pain) • Advice booklets (mild low back pain) • Graded activity intervention (non-specific low back pain) Nicholson PJ. SOM 2017
Musculoskeletal disorders What works: • Early assessment and early rehabilitation • Work / workplace adjustments • Employer support for modified work, work organisation and working environment • Multi-component programmes are the most successful and cost-effective interventions Nicholson PJ. SOM 2017
Common mental health problems • Few economic evaluations • Most are of low methodological quality, or evidence on effectiveness is lacking • Only tentative conclusions can be drawn Hamberg-van Reenen HH, et al. Occup Environ Med, 2012
Common mental health problems • CBT is effective in reducing psychological ill-health and sickness absence in those: • Absent from work1 • In depression, sickness duration is reduced by adding: • CBT • a work-directed intervention2 1. Hill D, et al. TSO 2007 2. NieuwenhuijsenK, et al. Cochrane 2014
Other health conditions • Most studies included in systematic reviews involve musculoskeletal problems • The evidence is strongest for those disorders, and is less direct for other health issues Nicholson PJ. SOM 2017
Overall Strong evidence: • Supporting disability management interventions • Work disability duration is reduced by: • Work accommodation offers • Communication between healthcare provider and workplace
Overall Moderate evidence that: • Early contact between the worker and their workplace reduces work disability duration • Graded activity interventions reduce sickness absence
Conclusion Employers should: • Understand barriers and facilitators to RTW • Be familiar with what they should do • Provide access to competent RTW support including Occupational health services and EAP • Remember £500 tax and NI exemption
Coming up for the SOM …documents on: - the “Value of OH specialist” - a “career in occupational health” -”hosting a trainee” - “commissioning an OH service”
Question: How can EAP and SOM/ occupational health work together more seamlessly?